The Keys to Victory

If God had the key to keeping you from losing another battle against your adversary, would you want it? Think about it, never losing another struggle, always overcoming, always getting one over on your enemy. In the world that we live in, battling is a part of growth. How awesome would it be never to have another obstacle, challenge or conflicts one would question if you are even alive. Growing requires stress, work, and pain. Likewise, there is no victory without having to experience some form of battle or war. So, now the question is, does having to go through a struggle or pain cause us to be afraid of facing our challenges. In the next two weeks, we will examine the famous King David. Other than Jesus, I believe David is the most spoken about man in the Bible. He is the most renowned for things, like killing the 9-foot tall giant with a pebble and a rubber band (to his most wicked sins) like raping a woman while her husband was risking his life for his king. In the life of David, there is so much we can glean from his story.

His failures and successes, friendships and loves, passions, and convictions. David was thirty years old when he finally sits on the throne as king. The Philistine nation remained as a constant thorn to the side of the Israelites. They were powerful and surrounded the borders of Israel at nearly every corner. Now, most people remember that David defeated the giant Goliath in 1 Samuel 17. Goliath was one of the mightiest warriors of the Philistine nation. Fewer people, however, are aware of the time when David and his army of 600 men lived with the Philistines to get away from King Saul in 1 Samuel 27. For a period, David lived amongst his countries enemy because Saul was enraged to kill David in fear that David would take his throne. If you recall, the Philistines were the main villains from Samson in the book of Judges. For over 40 years, Israel had been fighting this enemy, and David found it favorable to live with them instead of facing Saul. In that time, David became so close to their leader, King Achish; that he soon became Achish’s bodyguard. He gained the trust of this king so much that when the Philistines rose up again to do battle against the Israelites in 1 Samuel 29, David was on the side of the countries enemy. The King of the Philistines saw David as an asset, but the men in the army thought it unwise to have him fighting along with them.

When Old Friends Come Knocking

The relationship with that king showed what kind of man David was. How could he defeat this king’s mightiest warrior Goliath, destroy the other members of his army, (At 16 years of age) and then have enough guts to go into this nation for refuge when things were heating up against him in Israel? Let’s look and see how this goes on when David is finally crowned king of Israel.

“When the Philistines heard that David had been anointed the king over Israel, all the Philistines went up to search for David. But David heard of it and went down to the stronghold. Now the Philistines had come and spread out in the Valley of Rephaim. And David inquired of the Lord, ‘Shall I go up against the Philistines? Will you give them into my hand?’ And the Lord said to David, ‘Go up, for I will certainly give the Philistines into your hand.’ And David came to Baal-perazim, and David defeated them there. And he said, ‘The Lord has broken through my enemies before me like a breaking flood.’” -2 Samuel 5 vs. 17-20

Verses 17 tells us that the Philistines went to search for David. It does not say they went to war against him, however; it was clear that their intentions were not good. David had a reputation for destroying just about anyone he faced on the battlefield. His mindset was one of a winner. But even with all his victories, David did something you don’t see many soldiers doing, he went straight to God (verse 19). He had defeated the Philistines in the past, and he knew their fighting style and methods. Why go to God? Even if the whole nation of the Philistines came knocking at his door like a group of drunken frat boys, David needed to follow the leading of the Lord. He knew that the partnership was over and that this was going to be a war. He also knew though that if God was not with him, he was not going to win. In verse 19, God gives him the thumbs up and reassures David that he will be with him. David and his armies go on to defeat the Philistines, and as he describes it in verse 20, it was a clean and swift victory. So after such an unexpected defeat, the Philistines went back and never bothered David again. HAHA, yeah right!!! The Philistines licked their wounds, took out their crayons and went back to the drawing board.

“And the Philistines came up yet again and spread out in the Valley of Rephaim. And when David inquired of the Lord, he said, ‘You shall not go up; go around to their rear, and come against them opposite the balsam trees. And when you hear the sound of marching in the tops of the balsam trees, then rouse yourself, for then the Lord has gone out before you to strike down the army of the Philistines.’ And David did as the Lord commanded him, and struck down the Philistines from Geba to Gezer.” -2 Samuel 5:22-25

The Philistines came after David again, and he did what he does best, he asked God a second time what he should do. Verses 23, 24 say that God did NOT want David to go after them directly this time. God gave him entirely different orders because God was going to send his army to fight with David this time around. David did as the Lord told him.

This Tale is Soldier 101.

How does this story give us the key points to never lose a battle against your enemies?

First, never put your guard down. The Philistines–upon hearing that David was anointed king– dispatched men to look for him out. Whether it was fear or stupidity, it was clear they did not respect the position and wanted Israel at their mercy. Listen, don’t ever think that your prosperity will keep you safe from Satan’s attacks. If anything, it may make you more of the target. He loves coming after people in leadership or high places because, the higher the position, the more fatal the fall.

Second, Satan will use old “frienemies.” David found refuge with his enemy when a more significant enemy arose. When the more substantial threat was no more, those he once sought shelter with, now preyed on him. Trading one evil for another is still messing with evil, and there are times when we trade one unhealthy habit for another. Perhaps it’s an old habit that you turned to when things were hard, and now the desire is coming back up. Whatever shape it comes in, know that Satan wants to bring you down, and he’ll use anything.

Third, consult God before fighting. Even if the answer appears obvious, seek the will of your Commanding Officer (God) before heading into a fight or battle. Don’t assume that you know what God wants. The Lord has given us scripture, and in it are basic instruction on how we are to conduct our selves. What is not written in there are the obstacles, choices, and confrontations that require us to seek his direction. It requires a unique discipline to restrain one’s self to follow instruction. It is a sign of spiritual growth when we do it; God knows the best way to destroy your enemy. If you always want to overcome the enemy and never lose another battle ever again, then seek after the one who is all-knowing.

Fourth, sometimes the enemy attacks the same way to make you think you never beat him. Both times that the Philistines came up against David they used the same tactic. Now I’m not going to assume I know what the enemy is thinking, but I do know we face battles that cause us to question a previous victory. We think to ourselves, If I beat this before, why am I being tested by it now? For example: If I won my battle with un-forgiveness then why am still upset? If I defeated my addiction to alcohol then why do I have cravings? If I’m over that relationship why am I feeling hurt? One of the reasons why Satan comes at us in this way is to make us believe that we never had the victory in the first place. It is a mind game, and if we enter on the battlefield with even an ounce of defeat, he is already one step closer to winning the battle.

Lastly, don’t assume you know what to do. David was on the same battlefield, fighting the same enemy. Most people would believe that God’s orders would have been the same, but the second time God gave him new orders. New battles may look like previous ones, but they may require different tactics. In my life, I have observed that God is not in the business of making us fight the same fight over and over again. In some cases, things may appear the same, but it is a different lesson and/or a test to see if we learned from the previous experience. I believe many people find themselves struggling with the same issues because they use the same tactic they used once before not realizing that they are not eliminating the problem but are temporarily subduing it. The bottom line is this; If we would go to God every time we face something that requires us a course of action beyond what is written in scripture, we will see life better filled with victories.

Weekly Challenge:

Look at some previous battles you’ve had. Did you put your guard down? Or maybe you got involved with some people that are trying to get back into your life, are you having a hard time getting rid of them? Perhaps you didn’t consult God for help. It could also be that you defeated the enemy, but your reoccurring battle makes you think you ever victorious. It might also be that you lost other battles because you thought you knew it all. Take this time to think about it and see how you can fight better the next time. Feel free to comment below or email us on if you need additional help. Follow us on Facebook or Instagram @throughthewinters.com.

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